Track-crossing structure.



W. A. SMITH.

TRACK CROSSING STRUCTURE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 10, 1914.

Patented Dec. 15, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

amen/tom THE NORRIS PETERS 60., FHOTOLITHQ, WASHINGTONv n r' SMITH.

I e rauc runs.

I APR. 10.1914.

Patented Dec. 15, 1914.

TRAC

APPLIO 2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

WILLIAM ALFRED SMITH, or ninviiiieiiaivi, ALABAMA.

TRACK-CROSSING $TBUCTURE. I

Specification of Letters latent. -r y mfimdg 5 1914b Application filed ii ri io, 1914, Serial meeinoc,

to eliminate the noise and excessive wear resulting therefrom-both on the wheels and on the supports for the crossing structure.

My invention comprises a rotatable track section at, each' track intersectionv of the structure. which section is movable. into alinement with the track rails on whichlthe wheels of the crossing train or car aretraveling. p

One important feature of my invention consists in the provision of a safety con- StI'UGtlOll which will prevent ser ous ingury either to wheels orto the movable track 1 section in the event that the latter is not adjusted for any; reason whatsoever into alinernent withthedire'ction of movement of the train or can;

1. My invention further comprises the cletails of construction and arrangement of parts which are hereinafter more particularly described and claimed in their preferred embodiment only, reference being had to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification, and. in which f Figure l is a plan view of a crossing structure equipped with my improved in vention. Fig. '2 is a sectional, view taken on the line A-A of Fig. 1. Fig.3.is a.

' cross sectional view taken on the line B-B of Fig. l, and Fig. 4c is a perspective view of an intersection. v

Similarreference numerals refer to simi lar parts throughout the drawings. I v

' In the construction illustrated, a right angled crossing structure'is shown comprisingtrack sections'l and the tracks leading in one direction and at right angles t0 tracks 1. The tracks shown areof the grooved type customarily inv use for street car service in paved streets but it will be understood that any standardform of rail maybe used. Preferably the; four meeting ends of the rails 1 and *2 at each intersection are '12 lead downwardly through the LED @ETS mm c eme i suitably fastened or. cast jointed tofa sub 5 stantially circular casting 3' torniing a seat which is provided with a circulari'ec'essin its upper facewhich receives a rotatable elethe tracks 1 or 2, according to its position.

a circular plate which has at the center of its bottom a cylindr cal stud 5avhich passes through a circular open ng in the bottom of provided with a collar or washer which is held iiast thereon bya pin 8. The lower end 9 of the stud 5. is squared for connection I i ment 4 adapted to iorin a continuation of This element a is preferablyconstructed as i the recess in the seat 3 and its lower end which projects below the seat is reducedand with theoperating mechanism. hereinafter 7 described. y v

' The" element a preferably rotates ona series of anti-friction balls 10 which travelin a raceway formed partly in the bottom face of the element 4- and in the upper face, of the recessinseat 3. i i

Around-the niargiiialedge of the recess in. which the member 4 turns," ll provide "a groove 11 froinwhich one or more passages a a c ting 3 to drain the water from" the seat.

The top face of the circular plate 4 is pro p p vided with a diam'etrical groove 13. extending from edge to edge thereof withthe vertical ax s of. the plate passing. through the center of the groove. The topface of the plate .4 stands level with the tread surfaces of .i

the rails land 2 except that at di'ainetri cally opposite points each 'reinoved"90?' fromtheends of the groove 13, I provide in? clined treads 14" which lead from the tread level down to the level of the groove 15 in the rails l or 2, and on. each side of each in cline treadway 14: I provide a pair of humped treads 16 and 16 which rise from the peripheraledge of the plate at thesaineangle asthe'treads -14: to their centers which stand above the tread level of the rails 1 and Qand-of the rest ofthe top surface of the plate 4. From their raised centers these facelof theplate linto which they merge at pointsispaced from the sides of the groove 13. The, main tread surface'of the plate 4.

is; indicated at 17 and asf the elementis loom treads slope down to thelevel of the top sur-' swung in the direction of the -arrow.': 4i,

it will be evident that this tread surface will swing from alinement with the treads of rails 2 into alinement with the treads of railsl, and in doing so the incline treads I 1a are brought into alinement with the groove of rails 2 and the raised treads 16 stand in alinement with the treads of the rails 2. lVhen the member isin the'position shown in Fig. 4, the treads 16 are in alinement with the treads of the rails 1. It will thus be seen that should wheels pass along the tracks 1 when the plates stand in the position in Fig. 4, the wheel flanges will ride up the inclines 14: while their treads will ride up the humped treads 16' which will act to cause the wheels to ride over the movable plate withoutbeing destroyed and damaging the crossing structure itsel The ends 9 of the several studs 5 have fast thereon levers l7 which are connected in pairs by crank arms 18 to disk cranks 19, one of which is disposed adjacent to each track 2 and which are bothmade fast on a cross rod 2-0 that turns in suitable bearings 21 made fast to the under side of the rails 2. A crank 22 on the rod 20 is operated by a lever 23 leading to any suitable style of throw mechanism. moved from fullline to dotted line'position, see Fig 2, the several elements 4: are shifted simultaneously to bring their respective grooves 13 and tread surfaces 17 into alinement with the grooves and treads of the tracks 2 or 1 as the case may be.

The manner of pivoting the rotating plate to one side of its main tread surface adapts the latter to move into alinement with either track.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is p l. A railroad crossing structure including 7 a base plate at each track intersection, cross ing rails having their meeting ends made fast to each base plate, a turn table rotatably supported on said plate, said turn table comprising a dia'metrical tread surface and flange groove and having humped treads disposed in diametrical alinement on opposite sides of said groove, said humped treads being adapted to aline with the track rails with which the turn tables tread surface is not in alinement.

2. In a track structure, a turn table comprising a circular plate having acontinuous flange groove across its top face and a tread,

surface on one side of said groove, and having on each side of said tread surface humpedtreads raised abovecthe said tread surface, there being short flange grooves beside said humped treads, and means to support and operate said turn table, substantially as described. I I i 3. A railway crossing structure comprising a base plate, the meeting ends of rails As this lever 23 iswhich are made fast to said plate and have their treads level with the top surface of said plate, a rotatable turn table mounted in said plate andh'aving a diametrical flange groove in its top face, which face stands level with the rail treads, an inclined flange tread leading downwardly toward the periphery of the plate on each side of said groove, and humped treads disposed on each side of each downwardly inclined tread, said humped treads being inclined toward their centers which are raised above the tread surface of the plate and being arranged in oppositely disposed pairs across the turn table, the corresponding pairs of said humped treads being adapted to aline with one or the other of the track rails which at the time are disposed at an angle to said flange groove, substantially as described.

L. In a crossing, structure, the combination with the meeting ends of rails, of a casting to which said ends are fastened, said casting having a circular seat, a turn table which fits snugly in said seat and has a transverse tread surface level with the marginal edge of the casting and with the treads of the track rails, antifriction bearings for said turn table, said table having a transverse flange'groove and having a bottom a shank which projects below said casting, and operating mechanism connected to the lower end of said shank for rotating the table to form a continuation of either track rail, sub

stantially as described. 4

5. In a crossing structure,the combination with the meeting ends of rails, of a seat to which said rail ends are cast jointed, said ually above and merge again into the surface level of the plate, a downwardly inclined flange groove opposite the inner descending ends of said humped treads, said treads being adapted to aline with the meetingrailswhich stand at an angle to said flange groove, substantially as described;

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

l I WILLIAM ALFRED SMITH. Witnesses:

NoMIE Wnrsrr,

R. D. JOH STON, Jr.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

WashlngtomD. C. V 

